The Big Birthday Bash, being held from Saturday, May 2 to May 4, is being held to mark 200 years of ZSL - the charity behind Whipsnade and its sister site, London Zoo.
And to celebrate the momentous milestone, the zoo is throwing a family-friendly street party with crafts, games and a gigantic picnic.
Celebrations will be split into different party areas, with all activities taking place close to the Aquarium and Butterfly House.
There's so much to explore including the Party Animals. This performer-led zone captures the excitement of a lively birthday party with children (and the young at heart) invited to join in short, fun activities or just sitting back to enjoy the performances and soak up the atmosphere.
Zoo-robics challenges visitors to balance like a flamingo or waddle like a penguin with a lively, music-led warm-up for the birthday celebrations, with animal yoga, wild moves, and a jungle boogie.
And Animal birthday party offers high-energy party games with a zoo-themed twist, including a playful take on Simon Says, musical animal statues, and animal limbo.
There’s also The Big Zoo Quiz, including True or False, Animal Top Trumps, and Guess the Animal, plus Zoo's Got Talent - with visitors asked to do the best animal impression or make the best animal sound.
The party will also feature The Winning Zone with games for all the family and fun, fairground-inspired activities with a unique ZSL twist including Hook a Flamingo, Animal Tail Tag or Candle Crash.
The Creation Station encourages visitors to design their very own future Zoo by grabbing a modern-day outline map and using stickers and colouring pens to add in everything you'd like to see in your personalised ZSL conservation zoo, maybe even invent a new species?
The zoo will also host a Birthday Banquet with a street party-style picnic in the colourful birthday celebration space. There’ll be a Pimm’s bar, barbecue, jelly and ice cream, a chance to have your photo taken with animal mascots and a Teddy Bears' Picnic, with youngsters invited to bring their own teddy.
Party entertainment will be courtesy of The Rock Choir with performances on Saturday, May 2 at 10.50am and 12.30pm in the Birds of the World Arena.
Book tickets here.
Meanwhile, we’ve had a look in the archives to bring you these pictures from Whipsnade’s history.
17. September 7, 1964
Head Zookeeper Len Warner, with the giraffes at Whipsnade Zoo, England Photo: Ronald Dumont
18. May 28, 2012
Elephant keeper Elizabeth Fellows plays football with Donna, a two-year-old elephant at Whipsnade Zoo Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS
19. January 8, 2026
Ostriches feed from a bucket held by zookeeper Abby Crake during an event to promote the annual stocktake. Every year Whipsnade Zoo counts all its animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and invertebrates. This year is ZSL's, the international charity behind Whipsnade Zoo, 200th anniversary. Photo: Leon Neal